Support structure



Dec. 12, 1961 n'c 3,012,627

SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed May 4, 1959 i a]? m ll? 94 k W [7 #b ns INVENTOR N I 7 fi/M/a Z. Mir/m1 ai fiq M5 4 9/ lk 1 BY I /a a 9 9: ATTORNEY$ United States Patent Ofiice 3,012,627 Patented Dec; 12,1961

3,012,627 SUPPORT STRUCTURE Daniel L. Mitchell, 911 W. Barre St., Baltimore, Md. Filed May 4, 1959, Ser. No. 810,680

6 Claims. (Cl. 182-404) This invention pertains to supports and particularly to ladders and ladder irons. The present invention is concerned with a new item of hardware for use in hinging together ladder components and includes a new ladder hinge iron and the support structure combinations made possible thereby.

Ladder irons or hinges of the type to which the present invention is directed have previously been of the general type wherein an iron was fitted over each of the opposing ends of the side pieces of a ladder. Opposed irons were then hingedly joined by a pintle disposed along one edge of the ladder side piece and provision was made for pinning or locking the two pieces of the ladder in an extended position by a lock or pin at the opposite ed-ge ofthe side piece, note for instance Seger, U.S. Letters Patent 1,338,100 and 1,479,628. Such ladder irons could be used only for the purpose of breaking a ladder for the purpose of moving it or to form a step ladder.

It is an object of this invention to provide a ladder iron which serves as a multi-purpose adapter to be utilized on ladders or other structural units to form knock-down ladders, scalfolding, work tables and the like. It is a further object of this invention to provide a ladder iron peculiarly adapted to render A-frame step ladders, or support units formed therewith, readily and handily movable.

It is another object of the present invention to furnish support structure combinations which serve a plurality of'fiunctions including ladders, work supports and scaffolding.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a ladder iron having its sole hinge supports along one side wall thereof whereby an advantageous hinging relation is obtained where the irons of this invention are utilized in pairs in certain ladder-support combinations. It is another object of the present invention to provide a ladder iron of simple and rugged construction, which is economical to manufacture, which will serve all of the foregoing objects and other objects which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following disclosure.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example only, one embodiment of the ladder iron of the present invention and a limited number of support structure combinations thereof;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ladder iron of the present invention, without the safety chain unit thereon;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a combination utilizingthe ladder iron of FIG. 1 in forming a table type or scaffold support and shows the safety chain unit attached;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of a step ladder or A- frame supportv utilizing a plurality of irons of the type shown in FIG. 1; 3

FIG. 4 is an end elevation View of the combination of FIG. 3; I

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevation of a combination utilizing irons according to FIG. 1 to extend scaffold or ladder supports over the eaves of a building.

In the various figures wherein like numbers represent like parts, indicates, generally, a ladder iron having a rectangular partially enclosed body 12, a rear wall extension or hinge plate 13, clamping members or thumbscrews 15, 16 and safety chain engaging means or hook portions-18. The body 12 includes a generally planar, rectangular, rear wall 20, opposed side walls 21 and 22 ings in the rear wall Ztlmay be so spaced from either openings could be provided likewise spaced from either each secured along one edge to opposing edges of the rear wall, and a top wall 24 secured along its rear edge to the top edge of the rear wall 20 and along its side edges to the top edges of the side walls 21 and 22. The top wall 24 extends laterally, from said rear wall, beyond said side walls and terminates in a down-turned lip portion 25 which is bent to extend generally parallel to the rear wall on the same side of the top wall as the rear wall. It is to be noted that the rear, top and side walls thus define a generally rectangular or box type body portion and it is to be noted that this body .portion is preferably sized to receive and engage a ladder sidepiece. This size is of course not critical and the units can be manufactured of any size to engage any type structural units desired. 1

One or both of the end walls 21, 22 is formed with a plurality of openings to receive clamping members such as 15 and 16, These openings through the side Wall (side wall 22 in FIG. 1) may be threaded. Alternative- 1y, separate threaded members as at 29 and 30 maybe securedto the side wall to receive and threadably engage the clamping members or thumb-screws 15, 16. It is to be noted that the clamping members 15, 16 are preferably of the hand manipulatable thumb-screw type thus further enhancing the ready attachment and detachment envisaged in use of the device in combinations of the pres ent invention; I I

Hinge plate 13 preferably extends above the top wall 24 and is either secured to or is integral with the rear wall 20. The hinge plate 1 3 is preferably co-planar with the rear wall 20 but may projecttherebeyond toward the rear; that is, away from the remainder of the body portion. Hinge plate 13 is formed with one or a plurality of openings therethrough to receive pivots or pint-1e bolts as at 3-3 and 34. These bolts are preferably provided with hand manipulatable tightening means such as the wing nuts 35. In the preferred form, plate 13 is formed with two openings disposed adjacent opposite edges as at.

41, 42 in FIG. 1.

Extending downwardly from one of the. side walls and secured thereto or formed integral therewith is a safety chain securing means which is disclosed as an outwardly curved hook portion 18. It is .to be noted that the hook 18 is bifurcated thus permitting easy engagement with an adjustable eye bolt-nut chain engaging and tightening,

The combination including the safety chain unit provides,

added safety as it insures that the iron will be maintained in a position with the end of the support member seated in the pocket area of the iron 10.

Rear wall 20 is formed with a plurality of openings as at 39 and 40. Each of such openings is preferably disposed at a distance from one of the openings in the, hinge plate 13 equal to the spacing between the two openings in plate 13. One or a pluralityof such open or both of the openings in plate 13. Thus, in FIG. 1, both openings 39 and 40 are spaced from opening 42 a distance equal. to the spacing between openings 41 and 42. It is of course to be understood that additional or both of the openings 41 and 42.

In FIG. 2, an upright ladder-type member 50, having rungs 52, has an iron 10 clamped to the'upper end thereof. A safety chain 54 engages the eye bolt unit 36 and is secured at its remote end to one of the rungs 52. It is eye bolt unit 36, after engagement with the bufurcated hook 18, will tighten the chain 54 to insure retention of the iron 10 on the upper end of the ladder or upright member 50. A longitudinal stringer or support 60 is seated on the. upper surface of the top wall 24 and is secured to iron 10, and thereby to the upright 50, by passing bolts 61 through the member 60 and through the hinge plate 13. An additional standing platform, shelf or brace 63 may be supported on rungs 52 and is preferably provided with transverse strips 65 to engage the rung to prevent lateral movement of the member 63.

The combination of FIGURES 3 and 4 includes a ladder 70, comprising two side pieces 71 and 72 and a plurality of rungs. 73, together with a pair of independent uprights or leg members 75 and 76, a brace member 78 and four ladder hinge irons 10. A ladder iron 10 is mounted on the upper end of each of the side pieces 71 and 72 and these irons are mounted with their rear walls and hinge plates disposed outwardly. A ladder hinge iron 10 is secured to one end of each of the uprights 75 and 76. Each of the uprights is positioned adjacent one of the side pieces of the ladder 70 with the rear wall and side plate of the iron 10 associated therewith disposed adjacent the corresponding portions of the iron on the respective side piece and with one of the holes in the hinge plate on each of the cooperating irons in alignment, as at 42. in FIG. 3. Each pair of irons is pivotally joined by a pivot bolt or pintle passing through the aligned openings of the respective hinge plates. A readily detachable rung 80 is inserted through suitably provided aligned holes 82 in the members 75 and 76. The ladder 70 and the combination of the uprights 75, 76 and the run-g 80 may then be suitably formed into a rigid A-frame support by mounting the brace member 78 on tthe detachable rung 80 and one of the rungs of the ladder 70 in the matter disclosed in FIG. 3. The brace 78 is provided with means for rigidly securing it to these respective rungs, as by providing it with transverse strips 65 secured thereto.

FIG. illustrates the operative connection of three of the ladder irons of the present invention in a manner adapted to provide a ladder-scaffold combination peculiarly adapted for providing workman support surfaces on the roof of a building while maintaining the ground contacting supporting structure away from the eaves of the building. An upright ladder or support 90 is in supporting contact with the ground or some other lower surface (not shown) and is secured against tipping by a suitable member as at 91 which may be attached to the tail of the rafters as at 92 or directly to the side of the building. The member 91 is generally a flexible member or a suitable like member having considerable tensile strength but little or no compressive strength. A ladder iron a is secured to the upper end of support 90. A second ladder iron 10b is clamped to a short compression member 94 and is in turn secured to the iron 10a by a bolt as at 41a in FIG. 5. The combination 10a- 94 thus supports the upper end of the member 90 on the building but maintains the member 90 away from the eaves, rain gutters, lattice work or other relatively delicate structure which is often found along the eaves of houses or other buildings. In general practice, the combination 90, 10, 10a, 94 may be utilized without the lateral support member 91. However, if it is necessary to provide supporting structure up along the roof of the building, a third iron 100 may be joined to the iron 10a and a ladder or other suitable supporting means 97 clamped thereinto and this latter structure laid generally parallel to and upwardly along the roof 98. It is readily'apparent that where the last mentioned structure is provided, lateral support by the member 91 is necessary to prevent the ladder member 90 from tipping away from the building. With this total combination, the support member 90 is maintained out of contact with the eaves 0f the building but safe support is provided for workmen working on the ladder member (which may be vertical as indicated or inclined as is usual in a ladder) as well as on the member 97 which lies along the roof surface. It is to be noted that the iron 100 is joined to the iron 10 at holes 42a and 40a, thus forming a rigid structure and facilitating preforming of the unit on the ground prior to elevation of the assembled unit to working position. The combination disclosed in FIG. 5 would, of course, be duplicated on each ground support member such as on both side pieces of a ladder.

It is of course obvious that additional holes as at 39 and 40 may be provided in various angular relations and suitably spaced either from holes 41 or 42 depending upon specific uses and specific circumstances of use of units formed according to the present invention.

In regard to the particular combination disclosed in FIGURES 3 and 4, it is to be noted that this structure may be moved about, even within a room where it must be moved over office furniture or the like, simply by removing the brace member 78 and the detachable rung 80 and thence walking the individual members 75 and 76 past the ladder unit 70 while maintaining the floor contacting or bottom portions of the ladder 70 in situ. In the process of the walking action, the movable legs 75 and 76 may be extended over furniture or other obstructions thus permitting the movement of supporting structure according to the present invention without completely disassembling the same and with a minimum of handling, lifting and tipping.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present ladder irons may be utilized to form combinations of support structures, scaffolds, tables and many other variations of knock-down or permanent equipment needed by painters, carpenters and others. It is apparent that structures in the general nature of that shown in FIG. 2 are readily adaptable to provide temporary or permanent shelving or the like.

In its use on ladders and other supports, the structure contemplated by this invention permits ready substitution of support legs of different lengths thus creating support units for use on non-level or multi-level surfaces such as stairs and inclined surfaces.

Also, the irons of this invention are peculiarly adaptable for joining ladders of dilferent widths, such as the two widths of ladders normally comprising a single extension ladder. In joining such ladders, the irons may be selectively positioned with the rear walls disposed inwardly or outwardly on each sidepiece of each ladder to effect cooperative spacing of the hinge plates extending from the sidepieces of each ladder.

The instant invention may of course be practiced by utilizing various types of basic supporting members. For instance, where a simple support structure after the general manner of that shown in FIGS. 3, 4 is required, the ladder unit may be replaced by any readily detachable member having one or more upright members and suitable braces, steps or crosspieces. Likewise the detachable rung may be replaced by any readily detachable brace, cross member or support member.

While the invention has been described in connection with different embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A ladder iron unit comprising a hollow rectangular body having a rectangular planar rear wall, first and second opposing end walls and a top wall, said first and second end walls and said top wall disposed entirely on one side of said rearwall and oriented normal thereto, said end walls secured to opposite parallel edges of said rear wall in opposed relation, said top wall disposed normal to said rear wall and secured along one side to said rear wall and along each of its ends to said end walls, said top wall extending laterally from said rear wall beyond said end walls and terminating in a lip portion extending normal to the remainder of said top wall in a direction toward said end walls; one of said end walls formed with a plurality of threaded openings therethrough; a threaded thumb-screw engaged in each of said threaded openings and extending therethrough; and'a hinge plate portion joined to said rear wall along the edge of said rear wall corresponding to the location of said top wall and extending on the side of said top wall opposite from said rear wall, said hinge plate disposed with its rear face co-planar with the rear face of said rear wall, said hinge plate extending laterally beyond each end of said body, said hinge plate formed with two spaced hinge bolt openings therethrough disposed adjacent opposite ends of said hinge plate; said rear wall formed with a plurality of openings therethrough, each of said openings in said rear wall spaced from one of'said openings in said hinge plate the same distance as the space between said openings in said hinge plate; one of said end walls extending downwardly beyond said rear wall and terminating in an outwardly curved bifurcated hook portion, said iron sized and adapted to engage the end of a ladder side-piece whereby said top wall will extend over the end of said side-piece and said iron may be clamped on said sidepiece by tightening said thumb-screws.

2. A ladder iron unit as in claim 1 and including a safety chain unit, said safety chain unit comprising a flexible member and an eye bolt and nut; said flexible unit having a ladder rung engaging end and an opposite end engaging said eye bolt, said eye bolt extending through said bifurcated hook portion and said nut disposed on said bolt above said hook portion, said safety chain unit adapted to engage one of the rungs of a ladder to aid in guarding against accidental removal of said iron from the end of said ladder sidepiece.

3. The combination comprisingv four ladder irons and associated safety chain units as in claim 2, a ladder having two co-extensive sidepieces and a plurality of rungs, two independent leg members, and a removable rung associated with said leg members; two of said irons clamped to corresponding ends of said sidepieces with said rear walls and hinge plates outwardly disposed, one of the remaining two irons clamped to one end of one of said leg members and disposed with its rear wall and hinge plate adjacent the outer side of the rear wall and hinge plate of one of said irons on one of said sidepieces, and the other of said irons clamped to one end of the other of said leg members and disposed with its rear wall and hinge plate adjacent the outer side of the rear wall and binge plate of the other of said irons clamped to the other of said side pieces, each pair of adjacent irons hingedly secured to one another by a bolt passing through one of said holes in each of the hinge plates of each of said adjacent pair of irons; said independent leg members formed with aligned holes therethrough, said removable rung readily detachably mounted in a pair of aligned holes in said pair of independent leg members; and a rigid brace member engaging said removable rung and one of said rungs in said ladder; said safety chains on said irons associated with said ladder engaging one of the rungs on said ladder, and said safety chains on said irons associated with said independent uprght members engaging said removable rung.

4. A support iron including a hollow rectangular body having a planar rear wall, first and second opposing end walls and a top wall, said top wall extending laterally from said rear wall and terminating in a lip portion extending normal to the remainder of said top wall in a direction toward said end walls; one of said end walls formed with a plurality of threaded openings therethrough; a threaded thumb-screw engaged in each of said threaded openings and extending therethrough; and a hinge plate portion joined to said body and extending on the side of said top wall opposite from said rear wall, said hinge plate disposed with its rear face co-planar with the rear face of said rear wall, said hinge plate extending laterally beyond each end of said body, said hinge plate formed with spaced hinge-bolt openings therethrough; said iron sized and adapted to engage the end of a support member whereby said top wall will extend over the end of said support member and said iron may be clamped on said member by tightening said thumb-screws, said rear wall formed with a plurality ofopenings therethrongh, each of said openings in said rear wall spaced from one of said openings in said hinge plate the same distance as the spacing between a pair of said openings in said hinge plate.

5. A support iron including a hollow rectangular body having a planar rear wall, first and second opposing end walls and a top wall, said top wall extending laterally from said rear wall and terminating in a lip portion extending normal to the remainder of said top wall in a direction/toward said end walls; one of said end walls formed with a plurality of threaded openings therethrough; a threaded thumb-screw engaged in each of said threaded openings and extending therethrough; and a hinge plate portion joined to said body and extending laterally beyond each end of said body, said hinge plate formed with spaced hinge-bolt openings therethrough; said iron sized and adapted to engage the end of a support member whereby said top wall will extend over the end of said support member and said iron may be clamped on said member by tightening said thumb-screws, one of said end walls extending downwardly beyond said rear wall and terminating in an outwardly curved bifurcated hook portion.

6. The combination comprising a ladder iron as in claim 5 and including a safety chain unit, said safety chain unit comprising a flexible member and an eye bolt and nut; said flexible member having one end engaging said eye bolt, said eye bolt extending through said bifurcated hook portion and said nut disposed on said bolt above said hook portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 381,510 Rush Apr. 17,1888 592,574 Ring Oct. 26, 1897 811,740 Peter et a1. Feb. 6, 1906 1,145,521 Stock July 6, 1915 1,338,100 Seger Apr. 27, 1920 1,479,628 Seger Jan. 1, 1924 2,347,065 Rigby Apr. 18, 1944 2,368,915 Brande! Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 600,465 Germany July 24, 1934 609,340 Germany Feb. 13, 1935 1,034,508 France Apr. 8, 1953 

